


Having a Time of It

by Talliya



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: A happy-ish ending..., Canon deaths/injuries mentioned, Duty and Friendship, Gift Fic, Ignis POV, Ignoct New Years Gift Exchange, M/M, Mutual Pining, Noctis POV, cussing/cursing, slightly canon divergent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:14:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28517727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talliya/pseuds/Talliya
Summary: Reaching his door he pulled out his key and muttered to himself, “Who on Eos goes about cleaning things and making Princes take showers just to ask if he’ll still have a job and a friend later? Ignis Stupeo Scientia, that’s who!”In which Ignis is a disaster before "disasters" actually happen.
Relationships: Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 2
Kudos: 52
Collections: Ignoct New Years Gift Exchange 2020





	Having a Time of It

**Author's Note:**

  * For [saisei](https://archiveofourown.org/users/saisei/gifts).



> I do not own any rights to Final Fantasy XV(15) or its characters. This work is not for profit.
> 
> Written for sai_sei_says for the Ignoct New Year's Gift Exchange 2020.

It was a time just like any other, or so Noctis thought. Just another visit from his friend and adviser, that’s what he’d been told anyway. Ignis had called him saying they needed to talk and he would be over in about twenty minutes. He had asked that Noctis tidy up his apartment a bit and that Prompto was not present. That last had been a rather odd request, but Noctis figured Ignis had something confidential to tell him, probably some mandate from his father about this whole ‘run away to Altissia to marry Luna’ trip they were about to embark on. So, Noctis had cancelled his game night with Prompto, the blonde understanding that Ignis didn’t make requests like that randomly or often. Noctis had made sure all the garbage was thrown out, laundry was in the hamper, and was even doing his dishes when Ignis arrived.

Ignis helped him finish the dishes and then straightened up his bed after telling Noctis to take a shower. And while it wasn’t the first time Ignis had sent him off to shower before, it _was_ odd when Ignis had said they needed to talk. So Noctis hurried himself through the motions and came out drying his hair to find Ignis flicking his comforter into place over his freshly made bed.

“Ig, are you alright? I can make my own bed you know.” Noctis cocked his head to one side as he paused his drying to stare at Ignis.

For his part Ignis jumped slightly, like he hadn’t heard all the noise Noctis made leaving his bathroom a few feet away. Noctis blinked at him concerned.

“Sorry, must have been lost in my thoughts. All clean then?” Ignis straightened and gave him a brisk once-over before a slight smile graced his lips.

Noctis nodded willing himself not to blush, “Yeah, I’m good. What was it you wanted to talk about?”

Ignis seemed to freeze for a moment before taking in a quick breath, “Well, it’s more that I wanted to get something off my chest before we leave in a few days. After all, upon reaching Altissia you’ll be wed to Lady Lunafreya and it seems I’ve very much run out of time.”

“Run out of time?” Noctis began to question but Ignis held up a hand to stall him.

“Well, I am unsure if I’ll still be or be needed as your adviser once you are wed. I would happily keep the position, but we’ll simply have to see. I wanted to make sure that you knew, I’m not JUST your adviser Noctis. I am your friend. And if you ever need me for anything outside of summing up board meetings for you, or cooking your meals, I’ll be there for you.” Ignis’ face said that not only was he being sincere, but that he seriously thought Noctis didn’t already know that.

Noctis blinked at him, “You do realize that I’ve always considered you my friend? We’ve been friends since we met! You were my best friend until Prompto came along. And I recall us having a conversation about that because I didn’t want you to feel like you weren’t important anymore.”

Ignis’ mouth opened and then closed it, he ducked his head a moment, a slight flush touching his cheeks, then looked back at Noctis. “Quite right. Though, you may want to have a similar conversation with Prompto about how you being married won’t change that you’re friends. The boy does panic over such things easily.”

Noctis winced, “You have a point. I’ll be sure to do that. And Ignis, if you ever need me for anything, outside of being a lazy prince, just let me know. I’ll do anything for you three that I can. I love you guys. You’re my friends, my family.”

Ignis gave a soft smile and a short nod, “Of course Noct. You get some sleep, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“You have a good night Ig.” Noctis walked him to the apartment door, and went to his window to watch Ignis drive off. “That was random.” It made the dreadful feeling in his stomach that something awful was coming their way worse.

Feeling rather off from the encounter he called up Prompto, even though he knew he was probably waking the man from his own sleep. When he picked up Noctis was quick to apologize, “Sorry Prom, but... Ig was just... really weird...”

After explaining things to Prompto he felt a bit better, though he denied that it could mean Ignis had lied about his reason to talk to him. Prompto seemed to think that the older man had copped out of the real reason he wanted to talk to Noctis, and Ignis coping out of anything was unheard of. Prompto also seemed to think that Ignis had a crush on him, which, while that would be nice in Noctis’ opinion... it couldn’t possibly be true, and would definitely complicate matters. Because if Ignis had the same feelings for him, that Noctis had for Ignis... this whole marrying Lunafreya thing was going to really suck.

* * *

The whole drive back Ignis couldn’t believe how stupid he’d just been and even berated himself aloud in the confines of his car, “Oh yes, that was wonderful! Go in, guns blazing, to confess your feelings and then fall right on your face. Yes, yes, _wonderful_.”

He parked his car in his usual space and slammed the door shut after he got out, the night guard raising a brow at him went unnoticed. The look on Ignis’ face must have turned the man away from the idea of _asking_ about the odd behavior because he simply held the door open for him. Ignis gave him a distracted nod as he headed inside and up to his own apartment. He felt as if he’d lost all of his dignity. Reaching his door he pulled out his key and muttered to himself, “Who on Eos goes about cleaning things and making Princes take showers just to ask if he’ll still have a job and a friend later? Ignis Stupeo Scientia, that’s who!”

The door swung inward and he followed it, closing it softly behind him, he wanted to slam it too, but he had neighbors and that just wasn’t polite. He made sure his door was locked, checked all the rooms to be sure Gladiolus hadn’t randomly shown up while he was out, tore his tie from his neck and left his glasses on a table somewhere before flopping face first onto his bed and groaning.

He felt utterly defeated. Not only had he most likely concerned Noctis with his odd behavior, he had probably made the man feel unsure of what his marrying Lady Lunafreya would entail. Most likely made the Prince doubt the King’s plan in secretly getting them to Altissia... for a well publicized wedding. That was something that threw Ignis off a bit. It was heard on nearly every radio station that Lady Lunafreya’s gown for the upcoming wedding was created by one of the stars of the fashion world and was on display early for the people gathering in Altissia to view the wedding. And yet, King Regis was having them leave Insomnia in secret to get there. Ignis supposed it made a small amount of sense, as it would keep gawkers away and they would essentially have unbarred access in getting to Altissia, simply going with the flow of the tourist traffic.

He shook his head, he was supposed to be Noctis’ support, the one to hold his spirits up when they flagged, not the one to make him feel down! Ignis punched his bed in frustration and growled into his comforter. He needed to fix this. The question was _how_? Certainly not tonight, he’d already put the man to bed. And he should sleep himself, perhaps a way to solve this problem would materialize to him in a dream?

With that small encouraging thought he lifted himself from his mattress and headed for his bathroom. After a shower which did him no favors besides getting him clean, he slipped into his bed. Instead of dreaming of a way to make things right with his Prince, he dreamed of Noctis beside him in his bed doing some rather unprincely things.

Morning light filtered into his face from the crack in his curtains, as it did every morning he woke up late. Ignis sat bolt upright, reached for his glasses on the bedside table and came up empty. With a curse he shoved his sheets and blankets aside and bent down to grab his watch and check the time. 9:30AM, he was two and a half hours behind schedule and all he could remember about the placement of his glasses was that it had been a wooden surface. Which could mean any table or desk in his apartment, of which there were too many. Granted the one beside his bed could be stricken off the list of places to look.

With a sigh he made his bed and then dressed for the day. It was, in a sense, his day off. A day in which he was not required in any meetings at the Citadel or to even check in on Noctis. However, he was usually up early planning everything to happen in the next week. Which now made him pause. As they were leaving for Altissia in two days. He knew he still had to fix his screw-up from last night with Noctis, and he could feel it in his bones that he would be getting flack from Gladiolus over it until it was solved and perhaps even after... and most likely concerned and questioning looks from Prompto as well.

Gladiolus knew of his feelings for Noctis, and would probably just read it off his face when he saw him. Prompto would most likely have been told by Noctis of Ignis’ odd behavior last night. Probably before Noctis had actually gone to bed. His glasses weren’t on the small table in his bathroom, he paused to fight off a groan as he brushed his teeth, he really didn’t want to deal with anyone today. Not after being so weird last night.

He headed down the small hallway from his room to the kitchen, not on the hall table, they hadn’t been on the desk in his room, or on his bearu. They weren’t on the kitchen table or any of the counters either. He glared out the window over his sink for a moment before turning to the living room. He headed for the door, found his keys on the side table there, where they belonged, but no glasses. A frustrated sigh left him and he moved to his entertainment center - something Noctis had insisted he needed - not there either. His shin crashed into his low coffee table and he hissed in a breath, he hadn’t realized he was so close to it already. He knelt down, and aha! yes, there they were! He picked up his glasses and slid them into place on his nose before looking about for his phone. He found his tie from the night before instead and swiped it off the floor to put in his hamper.

His alarm hadn’t woken him so the phone probably hadn’t made it to his room, but it had been rather low on battery... it might have died as he obviously didn’t set it to charge. It hadn’t been with his keys, or his glasses, or anywhere else he’d looked for his glasses. He ran a hand through his hair, refraining - just barely - from tugging on it. He marched back to his bedroom and checked his clothes from the night before, placing the tie among them. Yes, there it was in his pants pocket, deader than a doornail.

He clucked his tongue and put his phone on the charger before heading back to the kitchen to make himself some breakfast.

* * *

Things moved so fast that Ignis never got the chance to ‘fix’ things with Noctis before they left. He took to driving simply to avoid the three sets of very different stares that seemed to be constantly directed at him. For his part, Noctis did his best to just be normal.

The miles dragged on, they ran out of gas - a lack of foresight on Ignis’ part with wanting to hurry them out of Insomnia, and had to stay several nights at the Hammerhead Garage before they could continue on. It wasn’t until they made it to Altissia that Ignis got another chance to speak his heart.

They had already made plans for Noctis to try and get close to Lunafreya and be near when she summoned Leviathan, and the rest of them would help evacuate the people of Altissia as the Empire was very much wanting to stop her from doing so, and they cared little for collateral damage.

Ignis was fixing Noctis’ jacket, plucking it into place nervously. “Be careful Noct. And know that if something should go wrong,” Here he looked Noctis in the eyes, “that I have always loved you and always will.”

He gave a faint smile and then turned away at Noctis’ soft gasp. He wasn’t really sure he wanted to know what Noctis thought of that. He was apparently a coward at heart.

“Ig-.” Noctis was cut off as Gladiolus and Prompto entered the room and went over where they were all supposed to go once more. Then they all went their separate ways.

As things seemed to go from bad to worse, Ignis wound up teaming up with Ravus Nox Fleuret of all people, as they made their way as quickly as they could to their loved ones. The pain and regret on Ravus’ face when they reached Lunafreya and Noctis too late, would haunt Ignis’ memory for a very long time. Most especially as it was one of the last things he ever saw.

From then on Ignis fought on instinct, using his hearing to its fullest extent, and trusting his intuition more than he ever had before. It got himself and Gladiolus to Noctis, to Prompto, to Insomnia where the maniac who had orchestrated so much of their suffering was to be found. And then it got them through that as well. They all came out the other side, miraculously.

And still he was nervous about what the future could hold.

* * *

Noctis hadn’t known what to do when Ignis wouldn’t meet his gaze and kept rushing them here and there. They took longer than intended to get to Altissia, and the plans by then had changed a bit. No longer was there a wedding, since he was officially claimed as dead by the Niflheim Empire. Then out of the blue Ignis finally looked him in the eyes, it was like the man was peering into his very soul, and he said that he loved him. And it was so very obvious what he meant that Noctis gasped.

He wanted to tell him that he felt the same, that he shouldn’t have obviously hidden this whole time. But they were interrupted by Gladiolus and Prompto, and then their missions. When next he saw his dearest friend and the man he loved, Ignis was blind. Noctis knew he was no good with words, and it became even more evident as they made their way to Insomnia to finally put an end to Ardyn. He was going to have to find the words, as his expressions could no longer be seen by the person who was always able to read them the best.

As the dawn rose finally, after an apparent ten years of darkness for the people of Eos while he sat entombed in a Crystal, he smiled. Noctis reached out and took Ignis’ hand in his and raised it so he could place a gentle kiss on the back of it. “I love you too.”

Prompto grinned and made an exaggerated ‘aww’ sound and Gladiolus clapped, “Took you long enough.”

Noctis blushed and wiped the tear from Ignis’ smiling cheek. “Let’s go grab Iris and Talcott and have our happily ever after, shall we?”

**Author's Note:**

> I nearly forgot I needed to post this... I'd already posted up one that was due Dec. 20th?25th?... and still need to finish a pinch-hit that doesn't need posted until Jan. 10th... but then I was like, but what about the other one... there WAS another one. And mildly panicked until I found the posting period for this event and was relieved I hadn't missed the deadline. I have been so sick this holiday season it is unreal. V_V


End file.
